Xiaomi Gives You All You Want This Christmas – And More! Feel the joy of the holiday season with Xiaomi’s Holiday Season Promo

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Christmas is right around the corner! Have you started your holiday shopping already? In case you’re still clueless about what to get your loved ones, Xiaomi has got you covered.

Feel the holiday spirit with Xiaomi’s All I Want for Christmas promo and get an exclusive and adorable Mi Bunny plushie along with more awesome freebies sure to make Christmas extra merry when you purchase the Xiaomi 11T Series, Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, Mi 11 Lite, and the Xiaomi Pad 5 from November 13, 2021 to January 14, 2022.

The Xiaomi 11T is the content creator’s ultimate companion that is sure to keep up with all your dynamic creative needs. Its high-resolution triple camera and suite of AI-powered tools makes it a powerhouse for content creation and makes cinemagic more accessible for everyone. For only PHP 21,990 for its 8GB+128GB variant and PHP 24,990 for its 8GB+256GB variant, the promo will also give buyers a free speaker and eco bag for free, perfect to use for your holiday shopping and blasting your favorite Christmas carols. 

Of course, buyers also get one adorable Mi Bunny!

Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 11T Pro is the ultimate flagship phone for content creators that upgrades the features of the Xiaomi 11T with the revolutionary 120W Fast-Charging Technology that enables 100% charge in just 17 minutes. On top of that, the smartphone boasts impressive computational filmography capabilities with one-click AI Cinema modes, 8K recording and HDR10+, allowing users to capture footage with the same smart ISO technology found in digital cameras. You can get it the 8GB+256GB version for PHP 27,990 and 12GB+256GB for PHP 29,990 and get a free eco bag and Mi Bunny!

The refreshed ultra-slim and featherweight Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE is also yours for the taking. This upgraded stylish device also gives an ultra-vivid display with its 6.55” AMOLED DotDisplay, 10-bit TrueColor support, and Dolby Vision® as well as ultra-fast connection, 4,250mAh battery, and 33W fast charging for maximum productivity. This device comes in four color choices, Snowflake While, Truffle Black, Bubblegum Blue, and Peach Pink. The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE is available in 8GB+128GB for only PHP 18,990. Get yours now and you'll be getting a Mi Bunny and Mi Eco Bag free of charge.

If you’re looking for substance and style in one package, the Mi 11 Lite just might be what you've been waiting for. This device confidently blends a sleek design with Xiaomi’s legacy of innovation and best-in-class smartphone camera technology. Both the wide-angle camera and the 16MP front camera have been optimized for low-light conditions with Night Mode, enabling users to take stunning images of sunset landscapes, nighttime cityscapes or night-out selfies with higher brightness, sharper contrast and enhanced detail. Mi 11 Lite is also built to stay at peak performance even during periods of heavy usage such as when streaming or gaming. The Mi 11 Lite comes in 8GB+128GB storage variant with a price of PHP 14,990 and if you get yours now, Xiaomi will throw in a cute Mi Bunny and handy tote bag with no additional cost.

Finally, you can get your hands on the versatile Xiaomi Pad 5 for only PHP 17,990 for the 6GB + 128GB variant and PHP 19,990 for the 6GB + 256GB variant. This portable workstation is packed with premium features that’ll boost your productivity such as an 11-inch WQHD+ 120Hz display that brings content to life with elaborate images with more soft and natural colors full of details and large quad speakers that offer a louder, and crisper sound. If you get yours now, you’ll be getting an awesome magnetic case to go along with your Xiaomi Pad 5.

Be sure to check these great deals for these Xiaomi devices this holiday season! Visit the Xiaomi Philippines official stores in Lazada and Shopee. More exclusive deals also await for Xiaomi devices in their Lazada and Shopee Global stores. You can also follow the official Xiaomi Facebook page to stay up to date on more deals and new products.

Lampara Books hopes to promote spiritual formation and values education through its Guiding Light imprint

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The new Philippine imprint offers inspiring stories centered on Christ’s teachings and fun, purpose-driven storytelling

Lampara Books has recently launched Guiding Light, a new Philippine imprint that hopes to encourage parents and families to be a good influence on their children’s journey to life.

The family-oriented and faith-based imprint aims to promote the spiritual formation, values education, emotional growth, and community development through highly entertaining but transformative books written and designed by some of the world’s most promising and award-winning writers, illustrators, and personalities.

“It has always been our goal to inspire adult readers, most especially parents, to engage with their children on stories of inspiration, joy, and life lessons within a framework of Christ-centered beliefs and teachings,” says Segundo D. Matias Jr., the Chief Publisher of Lampara Books. “Our activity books create bonding moments between mom and dad with their kids through storytelling that put good values at the forefront of its principles while inspiring everyone to become a better human being.”

For its premiere offering, Guiding Light has recently released its ‘Little Life Lessons on’ series—a collection of fun activity books that parents and their children can color, play around with, and use as a medium for purpose-driven instruction. Written in both English and Filipino, the series is made for childhood care providers and parents to help their kids learn important values in life. The ‘Little Life Lessons on’ catalog contains inspirational stories that depict kindness, obedience, respect, and love, among many others.

The motivational imprint also takes pride of its Family Bible Illustrated edition, which has 365 pages of bible stories, meditations, and prayers for the whole family to reflect on together, and The Comic Book Bible, which offers a treasury of stories, known and loved by generations of readers.

For readers who are looking for a refreshing spin to the familiar narrative, there is Classic Bible Stories, illustrated for pictures-and-words format by talented young artist Tommaso d' Incalei. Bringing stories to life for a new generation of readers, this timeless collection will inspire people discover the meaning behind the teachings of God in an exciting and easy-to-read way. Another significant title under its banner is The Classic Children’s Bible, which is beautifully illustrated and presented to cater to a younger readership.

Other titles that are currently available at the Guiding Light website are Rhona Davies’ The Life Of Christ, strikingly illustrated to chronicle the important life events that Jesus Christ went through from his days in Galilee to joining God in heaven, and Angela M. Burrin’s Welcome To The Mass, a beautifully illustrated book that ‘explains the Mass by linking the liturgy to scenes from the Gospels.’

The classic and new titles are available at the Guiding Light official website, https://www.guidinglight.com.ph.

 

Pepsi, the most talked-about, the most hyped brand

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Someone once said that having a Twitter account is like talking to yourself, hoping someone will join in.

Not everyone is lucky to have a following on Twitter. Even many brands have difficulty finding a corner of Twitter where they can convey their messages to the right audience.

Pepsi believes that their endorsers and brand ambassadors serve as a seamless extension of the brand and help amplify their story

Everybody's talking about Pepsi

Beverage giant Pepsi is one of the most talked-about brands on social media, specifically Twitter, and is the most hyped in the beverage/drink category. In 2020, Pepsi was the only non-tech brand in the Top 10 of the Most Tweeted Brands for the year, alongside brands such as Spotify, Apple, Netflix, Lazada, and Shopee. This was achieved with an advertising budget lower than that of other big beverage brands as seen in a study. This is called connecting with your audience. Forward to 2021, the buzz about Pepsi continues online with content that’s relevant and always timely.

"What makes a content stand out is its cultural relevance; if the community shares the same sentiments and if it echoes the conversations prevailing at the moment. In Pepsi's case, they were able to cut through the noise by incorporating the language of their target audience and tapping the right people to get it across," shares Tina Pang - Head of Client Solutions, Southeast Asia, Twitter.

Pepsi's campaigns, which include the viral #PepsiHitSaSarap, are innovative yet traditional. For the Hit Sa Sarap campaign, the brand emphasized the importance of enjoying meals with family and friends. The campaign included giant screens on the streets of LA and New York featuring the faces of Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, SB19, Mimiyuuuh, and Ricci Rivero.

A brand's social media presence plays a critical role in establishing its identity and Pepsi has succeeded in establishing itself as brand with a fun and youthful vibe that aims to push the next generation to reach their goals and dreams making it one of the most talked-about brand on Twitter in 2020.

Pepsi Hit Sa Sarap reminded us of how nice it is to sit down for a meal with people we love and treasure. What better way to enjoy our favorite food than with Pepsi?

"At a time when consumers have the full power to determine what goes viral, it is not enough for people to enjoy our advertising material. Our communications need to stand out and be captivating for consumers to share, post, tweet, and pin. They need to love it," says Gutzee Segura, CSD Marketing Lead, PepsiCo PH.

As a brand, Pepsi is attuned to what is happening on Twitter. It listens to what its audience is saying and responds to what it sees as relevant content.

As Segura puts it, "It boils down to knowing what your target market wants, what they’re looking for, and serving that to them."

"People are keeping it real on Twitter, so these conversations definitely give a brand its much needed boost on awareness or engagement and in a way, in driving purchase intention, and sales," says Pang.

Pepsi looked at Twitter insights on K-pop and P-pop, then used these to highlight content about Blackpink and SB19. From these insights, the brand knew what type of content their target market (young millennials and Gen Z 16-25 years old) was looking for.

This target market values its online identity, being digital natives.

"Being at the prime of their youth, they always want to enjoy and maximize life’s experiences. However, given the pandemic, these experiences have been limited to in-home activities so Pepsi provides them with the experiences that satisfies their need for variety, novelty, and excitement from their usual days," said Segura.

According to Kantar, 91% of Pepsi's target market drink carbonated drinks so the brand's endorsers and brand ambassadors are selected based on who best personifies the brand’s personality, values, and purpose.

Blackpink was chosen because the group has a youthful attitude and zest for life that perfectly embodies the Pepsi brand.

Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, SB19, Ricci Rivero, Alyssa Valdez, Kiefer Ravena, and Mimiyuuuh were picked because their young fans are inspired by their success, hard work, and positive attitude.

"Our endorsers and brand ambassadors serve as a seamless extension of Pepsi and help amplify our story," mentions Segura.

A brand's social media presence plays a critical role in establishing its identity and Pepsi has succeeded in establishing itself as brand with a fun and youthful vibe that aims to push the next generation to reach their goals and dreams.

Enjoy exciting deals and surprises at Araneta City’s Black Friday Sale!

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Get up to 70% off on items (and more!) from November 26 to 30

Are you getting a headstart in your Holiday shopping this Black Friday? Well, the City of Firsts is the place to be for amazing deals and surprises!

Happening from November 26 to 30, 2021, enjoy up to 70% off on some of the most in-demand items from the brands you love the most in Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, Farmers Plaza, and The SM Store.

“Get ahead of the Christmas rush by doing your gift shopping as early as now,” said Marjorie Go, Araneta City’s Assistant Vice President for Marketing. “Araneta City and our partner brands are bringing some exciting deals on some of your favorite apparel, footwear, and tech products. You’ll surely complete your Holiday list here at the City of Firsts during our Black Friday Sale!”

Can’t go out to shop? We got you covered with Araneta City’s ASK ARA personal shopper service. Just message Ara on Facebook, and enjoy a FREE DELIVERY treat when you do your online shopping on November 26.

But for those who’ll drop by our malls, you get to enjoy an extra treat: score freebies by just exchanging your receipts! For every ₱3,000 single-receipt purchase, you’ll get a special black box containing cool Araneta City merchandise collectibles. Head to the mall concierge of Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, and Farmers Plaza for this surprise.

Apart from the discounts and freebies, shoppers may also check out the cool neon lighted wall panels at the activity area of Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, and Farmers Plaza. This is surely the perfect spot to get some hip IG-worthy snaps and glowing TikTok videos for Black Friday Sale.

And to make your TikTok posts more rewarding, Araneta City is holding a TikTok Challenge! It’s very simple: follow Araneta City on TikTok, create a dance video at our neon lighted wall, and post it! Don’t forget to tag Araneta City and use the hashtag #AranetaCityBlackFridaySale. Three lucky winners will win a cash prize and gift certificates from Pizza Hut!

Araneta City malls have been awarded the Safety Seal certificates, proving their exemplary and strict implementation of health standards. Enjoy a safe Black Friday experience only at the City of Firsts!

Araneta City is managed by ACI Inc, one of the five business units of the Araneta Group of Companies. With a long history of pioneer business ventures, the progressive and diversified Araneta Group is anchored on property development, food service, leisure and entertainment, and hospitality. Visit the Araneta Group's official website for more details.

For updates on Araneta City, visit its official website, or follow it on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tiktok. Download the Araneta City mobile app on Apple App Store (for iOS) or Google Play Store (for Android) to get the latest on promos and events.

SM Supermalls prioritizes MSMEs through its ongoing SM StartUp Package offering

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The recent launch of SM Supermalls’ SM Start-Up Package has ignited new hope and inspiration for MSMEs in the country, most especially those affected by the pandemic and prolonged lockdowns.

The SM StartUp Package gives 100 MSMEs with ongoing online businesses the opportunity to receive the necessary support they need to set up their first physical stall in one of 13 high-traffic SM malls nationwide.

Considered the backbone of the economy, MSMEs account for 99.5% of all enterprises and employ 63.2% of the labor force as of the end of 2018 per a 2020 Asian Development Bank (ADB) report. In SM alone, almost 70% of their partners are MSMEs, many of which were start-ups that found success in SM malls.

“We have a 60-year legacy with MSMEs. Our founder Mr. Henry Sy, or ‘Tatang’ as we fondly call him, started as one,” SM Supermalls President Steven Tan said. “In 1958, he opened his first shop, ShoeMart. From one store in Quiapo, SM now has 77 malls all across the Philippines—and we are still growing.”

The SM StartUp Package was launched via a virtual event on Oct. 15. Hosted by (upper L-R) Sam YG, SM tenant-partners fashion designer Patty Ang of athleisure brand Patton and young e-commerce entrepreneur Jerald Sze of Straightforward talked about their experiences as MSME owners. Offering valuable advice were (middle L-R) Department of Trade and Industry Asec. Mary Jean T. Pacheco, SM Supermalls President Steven T. Tan, and BDO Network Bank SVP & MSME Business Head Karen Cua. Also present were (lower L-R) SM Supermalls AVP of Leasing Strategy & Operations Gina T. Katigbak, BDO FVP of Merchant Partnerships Retail Sales Head Bob Tolentino, and SM Supermalls VP of Corporate Marketing Grace F. Magno

Tan recounted that aside from perseverance, Mr. Sy had help from family and friends when he built and expanded his business. “Tatang did not forget the people who helped him become successful. He paid it forward and gave the same help to other start-up businesses, often personally inviting them to locate in SM. Their eventual success was his success,” he said.

This pay-it-forward practice and mindset lives on through the SM StartUp Package. The past year and a half proved especially challenging for MSMEs as many were forced to temporarily close and cut off staff during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. Many from the workforce became resilient entrepreneurs who started their own online businesses to provide for their families.

With the SM StartUp Package, MSME owners who have ongoing online businesses can register and will be given the support they need to set up their first physical store in one of 13 high-traffic SM malls nationwide. This includes perks like startup-friendly rental rates, free use of kiosks, access to financial assistance through BDO Net Bank, marketing assistance to give the brand free exposure in SM online assets and ad spaces inside the malls, as well as giving them a prime location within the mall.

The SM StartUp Package also highlights the crucial role that MSMEs play in helping the country back to economic recovery. Last year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recorded more than 920,000 new business name registrations where 532,000 accounted for retail sellers in sari-sari stores. This is followed by over 88,000 e-commerce sellers who opted for online platforms to reach out to customers amid lockdown restrictions.

DTI Asec. of Digital Philippines and E-Commerce Lead Jean Pacheco emphasized at the SM StartUp Press Briefing that while online selling can be effective, having onground channels are still an ideal way to fast-track an MSME’s growth. “We know that Filipinos like to browse and see items firsthand, and talk to sellers face-to-face when buying, so it’s important to have brick-and-mortar stores. An MSME should aim to be omnichannel, a combination of your physical store and your online platform, so you can reach more consumers.”

“I know that many are looking forward to setting up a physical store, but in need of help — the same help Tatang gave to entrepreneurs in his time. As our way of giving back, we would like to continue Mr. Henry Sy’s legacy of extending a hand to start-ups and making it easy to set up shop at our high-traffic malls. All you need is a great concept and the willingness to work hard to succeed.” Tan said.

Categories open for tenancy are Health and Wellness, Home Hobbies and At-Home Experiences, Smart Gadgets for Productivity, Functional Fashion and Comfort Food.

To find out how to be part of the SM StartUp Markets nationwide, visit www.smsupermalls.com and follow the link to the Start-Up Package webpage, or email startup@smsupermalls.com and follow @smsupermalls on all social media accounts to find out how to sign up now for the SM StartUp Package.